SWITZERLAND FORUM

[cklaurence]

Thanks, Em. It wasn't my birthday, but it was the Class of 65's general 65th Birthday. I'm one of the younger 'kids' and don't turn till October 9th. It was strange seeing everyone old, but not as old as we'll be at our 50th reunion in three years, lol!

As far as that win yesterday, it was the first home opener we've won in so many years I can't remember. It started slow enough and that weenie Philbin is going to drive me to drink this year, I'm sure--but he has some really good assistant coaches and I'm hoping they can pull us through. I thought (I think it was) Davonne Bess was going to have a heart attack trying to get Philbin to throw the damned flag on that bad call late in the first half, and he almost missed the time while he stood there wavering. He got it off barely in time and thankfully they gave it to him. That miss could have changed the whole momentum of the game--and maybe even the season, but that remains to be seen...

We play the JESTS next week. It will be interesting to see if the coaches can keep the guys worked up enough to make it two in a row. Now THAT would be SOMETHING! I didn't see how the Texans did (or any teams but our division where WE are on top--what a hoot). Hope all is well with you!

[Emeritus]

The Texans were one of two road teams to win, 27-7. They held the Jaguars to 117 total yards and 16:43 time of possession and are again leading the NFL in scoring defense and total defense. I'm a little worried about next week, though. Peyton Manning and the Broncos got embarrassed and will have something to prove. I'm going to enjoy this week, though. The Texans are number two in the power rankings, trailing only the 49ers.

[TryThinking]

The Phins & the Texans both in first place?

OK, now I know I'm dreaming....

~waves as I do a drive-by~

[cklaurence]

WOW!!! This is a wonderful day... Texans and Fins both in first place in their Divisions, and it even brought Try Thinking out for a visit. Wish you could see the smile on my face guys (and the tears in my eyes)!!! I hope (if winning is what it takes) we keep right on repeating so I can see more of my guy Try. Isn't it grand to see him here, Em? Lord only knows who might be by next...

[Emeritus]

It's like the return of the Prodigal Son, if I can borrow a parable.

[cklaurence]

Exactly. Wasn't it first World Weary and then TT at Switzerland? Oh I miss those days so! Didn't we just have a wonderful time (for the most part)? Save for the occasional raids and when good ol' Steve the Cat had her meltdowns. Shoot, I'd take all that to have it back the way it was. Not that I don't enjoy our daily meetings, Em. I really do, and as you know, get very flustered when you don't show for any length of time. Not so much flustered, I guess, as unnerved. I don't worry that you too will desert me, it's more that I worry something might be wrong. At our age, life is such a crap-shoot. My mother was very close to the age I am now (or will be in a couple of weeks) when her time was up. There's nothing to guarantee me I'm going to outlive her timeline. I'd love to believe I'll live till my 90s like her sisters, or my dad and his sister and brother, but we all know how tenuous life is and what is it they say? We make plans, and God laughs! I just miss the variety and the fact that if I couldn't sleep, I could get on my computer at 2 or 3 in the a.m. and damned if some of the guys and gals weren't over here cutting up. Always something going on, always laughter and most of all, always great football talk...
Anyway, it was nice to at least see TT here. Always good when the youngsters come around to say hey.

[Emeritus]

It was indeed fun. We did have a goofy bunch, didn't we? I only invited people that I found smart and funny. It makes for entertaining chats. To change the subject, the Texans are now the only undefeated team in the AFC. The team defensive numbers won't look so gaudy after facing Peyton Manning, but a win is a win. I knew that it was going to be a good day when Matt Schaub threw for one of his four touchdowns on the first play from scrimmage.

[cklaurence]

Yes, your Texans put on quite a convincing show yesterday, Em. You must be strutting pretty tall these days, and with good reason! I'm pulling for you--Texans are one of my back-up teams. I have lots of them, though. I'm pulling for Peyton to do well, just because he's Peyton and I don't want him to fail. Then there's Eli, some because he's Peyton's brother, some because he had such a hard time proving himself early on (because he was Peyton's brother) and some because the Giant's are my son-in-law's team and Ms Bag's team--and although she doesn't come around here anymore, I still feel an allegiance to her.

Oh and then there are my Dolphins. Two words: Lousy coaching!!! We had them the entire first three quarters, then comes the fourth quarter and our rookie QB is chocking. Instead of pulling him and putting Moore in so a veteran could finish the game and Tannehill could sit without crumbling and losing his confidence, they left him in as he threw wild ball after wild ball after wild ball. How he managed to escape an interception is beyond me, but he also never got near a receiver either. We're without Reggie Bush after the first quarter, but the replacements weren't awful and they were running some time off the clock--but they keep calling passing plays. So friggin' stupid. Once again we watched the game being snatched from us. Then, they wait till too late to call for the time out before the Jests field goal, which we blocked--but because of our late call -- it was done over again and of course, it went through. Game over. Again, the same old story. Oh, but the miserable play calling and decisions made by the offensive coaches. Just shoot me. I'm too old for this. We didn't get out of there till nearly 5:30 last night and I was miserable. I was watching the Pats' game last night, but when they started to take the lead, I just turned the television off, covered my head with a pillow and waited for sleep to take me away.

I don't know what we'll do without Reggie or how long we'll be without him, but either way, we're stuck with the impossible coaching for I can't imagine how many seasons...

[Emeritus]

I was looking at the Dolphins stats and the areas where they looked the best was in rushing and rush defense. The oldest truism in football is that you play to the strength of your team. If what you do best is run the ball, then you should never stop trying to run the ball, even if you don't have early success. The big gains will come when defense gets tired. Why the Dolphins got away from that against the Jets is beyond me.

[Emeritus]

I'm sorry that I stayed up to watch Monday Night Football. Just when I thought that the replacement referees could not do worse, they outdid themselves. It is had to believe that such a bad call could be due to pure incompetence. The Lingerie Football League announced shortly after the game they had fired some of them earlier in the year for incompetence. So much for taking care of the brand!

[cklaurence]

In response to your question as to why the Fins moved away from the run when it was working, two words, Em--BAD COACHING! This Philbin is the pits--every bit as bad as the lasts three, maybe worse. He can't make a decision--hesitates every single time. That's why we lost the game Sunday. He couldn't make up his mind whether or not to call the time-out on the field goal and when he finally did,it was too late and it ruined his defense's best play of the day, blocking the field goal--giving them the opportunity to kick again--a perfect kick...

I fear it's going to be a very long season for us. Too long.

[Emeritus]

It doesn't mean anything with only three games played, but the Texans are in first place in the Power Rankings. LOL, if it was Week 16 and the Texans were there, I'd be a happy camper.

[cklaurence]

I'd be thrilled to see the Fins anywhere but at the bottom at any time, Em. It's been so very long since we've had any modicum of success. I'm even dreaming about them, and the sad part is, I can't even make them win in my dreams!

[Emeritus]

I'm afraid that I can't offer much encouragement, ck. At least not until there is a change in the Dolphins management.

[cklaurence]

OWNERSHIP, Em, OWNERSHIP!!! And I know that. It's an abysmal outlook. So depressing. You look to be in very good shape though, my friend. I need to find Reecey and give him my congrats too. Sometimes I wrestle a little with a bit of resentment, which I know is completely ridiculous, towards people who've left and it's hard for me to talk football with them out there on facebook. I love Reecey so much, and I know I shouldn't take it as a personal affront that he or anyone else left here, but when I see them out there talking football all the time, I can't help but feel dissed somehow, and like, "Gees, if they can find the time to mess around there, why can't they take a little time to visit Switzerland?" Then I back away from going over to them to say anything...

It seems strange having Thursday Night Football so early in the season. It's great for us, but it seems to be a real push on the teams, don't you think?

[Emeritus]

I doubt if it is any consolation, but Reecey doesn't blog at Fox Sports either. For years it was just the two of us on the Texans page. Now it's just me and bandwagon fans.

[cklaurence]

Nah, no consolation, Em. I always thought Switzerland was special. Better than Faux. More heart. More human because there were real people attached to it. I even opened The Manor to everyone. So many people came through here, you know? I met the Divas and still stay in touch with Maine and Bags. In fact, Maine and Shadow became friends of my family and visited us when my Aunt passed away. They'd met her and my cousins during my visits to NY over the years. Bags and I had seen each other here and in Indy. TT has been here as well. Victoria for reasons unbeknownst to me decided I was no longer good enough to be her friend and dumped me all together, and Lindiadito disappeared along the way as well; but I still here from the kitty kat every now and again. I had dinner here with Steve--remember the really nice guy that kind of fell apart when Obama was elected and disappeared never to be heard from again? I met Reecey and dredwak at Bags' in Indy also. Once you meet people like that, it takes on a different feel. At least I thought it did. I guess not though now in retrospect.

Matter of fact, look who is still here--my most mysterious Swiss resident of all! There you have it. My most hated expression--"It is what it is." I am grateful for what I have and I'm not complaining. I just get on these little nostalgia kicks every now and again. They pass quickly enough, that's for sure. They happen more often during football season because it always got busier here at football season and seeing that it's not takes some getting used to...

Happy football tonight, Em--

[cklaurence]

Hey Em (and any *Hoovererererers should any there be)... Just stopping by to wish everyone well in the games tomorrow (unless they're playing the Fins, of course! Reggie Bush is going to be playing, but if I were the coach, I'd be sitting him out an extra week. I'm not the coach though, as we all know. If I were, we'd have had a team in the Super Bowl by now, for damn sure!!!

Love to you Em and all the Swiss Family members--wherever they may be. Much love, from THE GODMOTHER...

[Emeritus]

Thanks, ck. Good luck to the Dolphins. Now if I can just pull my Texans through against the Titans. As you know, divisional games are especially important. We have a two-game lead in our division after three games and it would be nice to hold that.

[cklaurence]

Congrats on your big win, Em. Four and Oh! I'm really happy for you...

[Emeritus]

Thanks, ck. We have a three-game lead over the Jaguars and the Titans. The Colts are on a bye, so they are only down two games.

[cklaurence]

Yes, you're in a truly good place. I'm happy for you. Peyton Manning looked like his old self yesterday as well. It's great to see him back in Peyton form to shut up all those nay-sayers at last.

Alas, I hate to be right about my Fins. I was hoping to have all my doom and gloom shoved back at me; however, with all their heart they are still the same old giving it all away in the second half team. In almost an exact replay of last week's Jest game, we gave back everything in the second half and took it into overtime, only to watch the game snatched from us in OT. They're killin' me! They won't be back here till the 14th or thereabouts. Still not time for it to cool off,so we'll still be sitting in the horrid heat and humidity when they get back here, so it will not only be heartbreaking, but unbearably humid...

[OnlyInUtah]

HUH?

[Emeritus]

Hey, welcome back! It's great to have somebody break in on our dialogue.

[OnlyInUtah]

LOL

[Emeritus]

Great news for Texans fans! We are the first team to hold onto first place in the Power Rankings for two consecutive weeks. We are back to leading the NFL in defense, are second in scoring and first in scoring defense. Hopefully they won't stumble against the Jets.

[cklaurence]

Congrats, Em! You'll be fine against the Jests. We're the only ones who struggled against them.

It was good to see Utah. Would have been nice if he'd had a little more to say, but the visit was nice all the same...

[OnlyInUtah]

Who says I left and didn't have anything to say? Sheesh!

May the Broncos beat the Pats....Texans smoke the Jests....and the Phins beat the Bangals this week.....

[cklaurence]

With posts like that, Utah, you are welcome here any time, any day, any hour, any minute! Such beautiful words bring tears to my eyes! Thank you so much!!!
Other than that, how's life been treating you? Is all well? You and yours healthy? It truly is good to see you here in our little Swiss ghost town.Always happy to see our old Swiss Family members come by...

[OnlyInUtah]

Work has been brutal CK so not online much these days except for sporadically. Homelife is good though so that's a plus. I need to win the lottery and retire....lol.